Though it seldom happens, a passed-out pilot may be passengers' greatest fear. For frequent passengers, just a little training can make for a happy ending, as Ken Ibold and his frequent passenger, Catherine Ibold, wrote recently in Aviation Safety. More

Although it may not happen as often as deviations from the runway or unintentional VFR flight into IMC, fear of ditching an airplane is high on many pilots' worry lists. Like all emergencies, however, using a checklist and practicing procedures can make the difference when you hit the water. More

Once upon a time, we were all student pilots, struggling to learn the lessons in our training curriculum and obtain a certificate. Once we got that certificate, though, the learning didn't stop. As our confidence grew, we tried new things, learning by experience. AVweb contributor R. Scott Puddy went through the same process. Here's his story about lessons that combined an encounter with carbon monoxide poisoning and "get-there-itis." More

Flying around in a single-engine airplane usually means depending on its lone vacuum pump to turn some gyros. Even piston-powered twins have a weak link or two in their systems. Despite training in no-gyro procedures, recent high-profile accidents have demonstrated that failure of the vacuum system is both insidious and a bona fide emergency. In a follow-up to his recent article on vacuum system failures, AVweb's Scott Puddy takes a look at some of the choices available on today's market to back up your vacuum pump. There are a lot of options and a wide range of price points. Which is the best solution for you? More

Recent fatal accidents involving GA aircraft after either an equipment failure or a non-instrument-rated pilot's encounter with poor weather led the NTSB last week to make several recommendations to the FAA concerning controller training. All that is well and good — and should be implemented — but, as AVweb's Scott Puddy writes, only the pilot can fly the airplane. More

Buzzing and hot-dogging are the leading spin scenarios, often by highly qualified pilots who ought to know better. As Pat Veillette recently reported in Aviation Safety , the solution may not be more spin training, but more training in good judgement. More

Familiarity can breed confusion when a procedure that you have flown before has been revised and you don't brief for the approach. Even in a single-pilot situation, an approach briefing will ensure you have everything set up properly. Recently in IFR Refresher, Brian Jacobson followed the chain of events that led to an accident during an approach, when the pilot wasn't where he thought he was, and didn't notice the signals warning him. More

When airplane systems fail in IMC, extraordinary piloting skills will be required to sort out the problem and maintain control of the flight. As Brian M. Jacobson reported in IFR Refresher, if you cut short your training, you may fall short of your intended destination. More

The question of the day following the events of September 11 became the question of the hour after an enraged passenger recently gained in-flight access to the cockpit of a United Airlines 777. Should airline transport pilots carry weapons? Like many of us, Ken Cubbin — a career flight crewmember — has some strong feelings on the subject. More